Month: May 2017

I have to thank again the readers who reminded me of Barbara Vine recently. One of the best thrillers I read decades ago was actually Vine’s A Dark Adapted Eye, and I’m not sure how the name fell off my radar in the meantime. I ordered ADAE from Amazon (it’s definitely due for a re-read), but it hasn’t arrived yet, so I have been making do with another Vine novel I found at the thrift store, The Minotaur. This is my thriller catnip: large mansion full of secrets, weird family full of secrets, innocent outsider trying to figure out all of the secrets, and, finally, murder. I loved The Minotaur up until the last 10% or so, when it became apparent that the payoff — answers to all of those tantalizing secrets — wasn’t going to be there. I was actually quite cross because, as much as I enjoyed the reading up to that point (Rendell/Vine is a master of atmosphere), I felt robbed.

In a similar vein to The Minotaur, I read The Lake House by Kate Morton. This was another thrift store purchase; I’ve been “burned” by Kate Morton in the past, so I wouldn’t have bought this otherwise. [I read The Secret Hours when it first came out to great fanfare, and I didn’t think it lived up to what the hype had promised me.] It was fine. Not amazing, but ok for a summer/beach read. There were strong shades of Atonement in this book, but I wasn’t nearly invested enough in the characters to be devastated by their personal tragedies. The book as a whole had the opposite issues as The Minotaur; the sense of atmosphere was weaker (also, Morton occasionally makes weird word choices that threw me off) and the plot was too neatly wrapped up. As pleasing as that kind of ending can be, it’s also, well, too pat. It’s like dim sum; great to eat, but you feel hungry again after a couple of hours.

Last but definitely not least, I devoured Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage and Manners by Therese O’Neill. I loved it, and would highly recommend it. The “narration” takes a bit of getting used to, but I ended up liking it for the most part; it’s like getting a history lesson from a sassy girlfriend. The tone was consistent throughout, and didn’t verge into “annoying schtick” territory for the most part. There was one weird phrase, which made me laugh; O’Neill writes: “… people tended to die more often, and younger…” I’m sure it wasn’t the intent, but I read that as people dying more than once, and I can’t un-read it now.

Otherwise, O’Neill does a solid job in going over all aspects of a (middle to upper class) woman’s personal life in the 19th century in England/America, with lots of fascinating tidbits thrown in. The main takeaway: life was, literally, stinky and far, far less romantic than BBC period dramas would have you believe. This is not news to anyone who has even a passing interest in (real, not fictional) history, but it doesn’t detract from the book, which is all about the nitty gritty, frequently too-weird-to-be-believed details. One thing to note: O’Neill quotes from a lot of advice books and articles from the time period (almost all written by men), and the suggestion seems to be that these sources reflect the Victorian Zeitgeist. I found myself questioning this as I went along. Can we really judge how regular people of a particular era lived based, not on their own recollections, but on, say, the Dear Abby columns of the day? I mean, certainly, there are lots of insights to be gleaned from that (and from things like advertisements) but how clear a picture are we getting? Victorians are fascinating because we know so much and so little about them at the same time. I think more reading on the topic is in order for me.

On to articles … here is another take on where J. Crew went wrong. I used to buy a lot of Factory stuff when the store first opened in Edmonton, but I’ve been buying less and less now that I shop primarily at thrift stores. I still spot J. Crew whenever I check out consignment stores, but rarely in thrift stores. I wonder why that is. But I digress. In my opinion, the issue comes down to price. A lot of stores are offering similar things for similar quality at much lower prices. I don’t know how J. Crew can “unwind” the clock at this point, or if it’s even possible. As the author of the article points out, there are some industry-wide seismic shifts happening, and J. Crew will probably not be the only victim.

This Racked article about the current plague of Ugly Shirts is quite funny. I love the idea of a well-executed “architectural” shirt, but this trend has been taken to grotesque extremes, as this article illustrates. And the prices — OMG! I did try on a more sedate version of Peak Shirt last weekend at Zara, and though I ultimately passed on it, I have to admit it was cute (if terribly impractical):

Zara Peak Shirt

This oral history of “My Heart Will Go On” is amazing. Celine Dion is a national treasure.

I always spend extra time picking outfits I am going to wear when I give client presentations, the question being, of course: who do I want to (appear to) be? The answer really depends on the audience. Sometimes, “quietly polished” is the best way to go; other times, “in your face florals” is more the ticket. In this outfit, I’m easy to spot in the crowd (all the better for post-presentation client schmoozing) and, hopefully, cheerfully approachable. This particular client group is a fun, easy-going bunch, and I think my (style) vibe matched the mood of the room fairly well.

blazer on …blazer off!

While I kept my blazer on throughout the day’s professional activities, I did take it off during the 3 hr road trip there and back. Although it’s made from a ponte-like knit, it’s still a blazer; even with my extensive blazer collection, and my love of the blazer aesthetic, I’m still a take-it-off-to-get-comfortable kind of person. I rarely wear cardigans anymore, but I still do miss their comfort level. Speaking of which, the nice thing about not having had this dress tailored is that there is plenty of extra hip room — a big plus when it comes to comfort on a long-ish car ride. A wide belt can always be counted upon to cinch things in where it counts. This particular belt might well be one of the oldest accessories in my closet — possible circa 2007 or earlier. It had been “lost” for the last few years, so I was thrilled to re-discover it; when you’re a dress-loving hourglass, one can never have enough stretchy belts.

I keep thinking to myself that finds aren’t as plentiful this year as last, but the truth — as will become apparent shortly — is that I’ve still been finding quite a lot of stuff. True, there haven’t been any “big name” scores for a while now, but lovely pieces still abound. I think part of the problem is #thriftenvy. I follow a bunch of thrifters’ IG accounts (many of them re-sellers whose business depends on frequent thrifting trips) and seeing their phenomenal finds sometimes makes my thrift scene pale by comparison. I like seeing what others thrift, so I don’t want to stop following these people, but I do need to keep my expectations in check. Easier said that done, though, right?

Maeve top

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity for a quick stop at the VV in Red Deer, which went some way to reconciling me to my local thrift scene. No doubt about it, Edmonton thrifters have it way better. There were only a couple of pieces that caught my eye, like this Maeve top, but I left empty handed. The top wasn’t quite my style, and it looked a bit rough around the edges. I should mention that prices in Red Deer also struck me as somewhat on the high side; with that said, I’m beginning to lose patience with my local VVs too. More on that in a minute.

Babaton sweater

This was the other piece I spotted in Red Deer. I was quite tempted to get it, but ultimately passed because I’m not sure that long open cardigans like this fit my style. I have a couple of them already, and don’t reach for them all that often, so I thought I had best leave this one behind for someone else to enjoy.

Left: J Brand; right: Simons

Back to Edmonton. Two pairs of pants that didn’t work out. The J Brands are similar to a pair I already own, and the button had already popped off, so … pass. I was intrigued by the (faux) leather leggings, but they juuuuuuust barely fit me and I am not convinced that I could have sat down while wearing them. Sadly, another pass.

Teenflo blouse

I liked the look of this blouse (made in Canada!) but pussy bows are not my thing.

LK Bennett camisole

I love LK Bennett stuff, but this camisole was too big, and too sheer.

Joie blouse

I generally like Joie stuff, and it’s a brand that VV hasn’t discovered yet (to jack up prices), but this peasant style blouse was not, well, my style.

Hispanitas pumps

Goodwill is quickly becoming my fave thrift store, both for the prices and for the selection. Especially when it comes to shoes … as you will see in a minute. These Hispanitas were not my style but, do not fear, for I did not leave the shoe aisle empty-handed.

Deletta dress

Maybe I need to re-think my stance on (or, rather, against) green? This Deletta dress would not have fit my lifestyle (or tush, let’s be honest), but the colour was lovely. Also? The dress was $7 — thank you, Goodwill. In contrast, it seems like almost any dress at VV is now $17.99 or more. Needless to say, I’m not impressed.

Ecote dress

I liked the Art Nouveau-ish floral print of this dress, but it was in hella rough shape, so I passed. Probably for the better, since I do gravitate towards pants on weekends; I don’t need more casual dresses.

H&M blazer

I’m pretty sure this H&M blazer is ancient, because I remember seeing Fran wear it years ago on her blog, and lusting after it. I had to get it, you see, for nostalgia’s sake. With that said, though my style has veered away from preppy for the most part, I can still myself wearing it. I love the details, which are quite nice for a fast fashion piece (pretty contrast lining, faux leather buttons, elbow patches). The blazer is in shockingly good condition for its age too. It should be a fun piece for fall.

Talula blazer

It’s purple and it has pansies on it, and it was also brand new and only $8, so don’t judge me too harshly for buying YET ANOTHER blazer.

Ted Baker top

I was really dubious about this top when I bought it, but once I got rid of the smocked hem, I really fell in love with it. It’s probably going to be one of my fave tops this summer. I love the dolman sleeves, which surprises me because I’m not usually a fan. I don’t advocate buying pieces you’re not 100% sure about … except when I do it, and it turns out well. What are rules anyway?

Elsamanda sweater

Speaking of favourite pieces, this might be one of the year’s, right here. I L O V E this sweater. Love, love, love. I love the colour, and the silhouette, and the chunkiness. I’ve worn it 4 or 5 times in the last few weeks, and I’m planning to wear it a few more times before the month is over. This is now a brand on my “investigate further” list.

J. Crew skirt

Some of you may remember this skirt. I used to have it. In fact, I still have it — in storage, in my basement. My old skirt is too big now … but this version fits just right. Did I buy a duplicate? For $5, you betcha.

box o’ stuff

This box of stuff, including a silk Joie tank top, cost me just under $20. Did I mention how much I love Goodwill? These are not the only books I bought recently, either. Some are things I want to read (for fun) now, some are things I bought to round out my library. You never know when a complete history of the French Revolution will come in handy.

Vince Camuto pumps

Ok, the moment has arrived. Let’s talk shoes. As I mentioned, Goodwill has been really good to me in this category recently. These Vince Camuto pumps are actually cobalt blue not purple, and they’re intended to be a back-up/future replacement of my beloved J. Crew Everly pumps in the same colour. Those have held up well for the past 3 years or so, but the suede is starting to show some wear. Since I know I get quite a lot of use out of them, I jumped at the chance to be proactive and prepare myself for the day when they’ll need to be retired. I’ve heard good things about Camuto shoes, and these pumps were practically brand new and only $17, so it was too good a deal to pass up.

Jeffrey Campbell flats

I love metallic shoes, particularly in this pewter/gold colour which I find super versatile. Also, brand new leather flats for $10? Who would pass that up? No one.

Aquatalia flats

These Aquatalias were also brand new, and only $7. Still, I hesitated a long time (like, 10 minutes, which is an eternity in a thrift store) before I decided to take the plunge. I loathe the colour. OK, maybe “loathe” is too strong a word. I don’t like the coral/salmon pink. I also don’t like the peep toe thing, although these flats are pretty comfy. So why did I get them? For the price and the quality (the leather is beautiful and in pristine condition), I decided they were worth getting even just as a “beater” pair — you know, shoes to throw on when running errands and such. And, of course, if they don’t get worn at all, there is always next year’s clothing swap. I’ll chalk them up as a “gift” for one of my swap buddies.

AGL flats

I saved the best for last, you guys. Predictable, but that’s what one does with one’s “treasures”, right? These AGLs are brand new, and just happen to be my favourite style; last month, I bought the same AGLs in a different colourway at a consignment store. That pair cost me $65; this one, only $12. You can imagine how thrilled I was to find them. I was already planning to “save” my other pair for special occasions to avoid wearing them out too fast. Now, I have options.

I’m hoping to get the same lucky break with my other beloved pair of loafers, the Kelsi Daggers I have been wearing non-stop for a year. No luck yet (and I’ve been scouring eBay too), but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Other pieces in the same category: my Aritzia black pants, Theory blazers (navy and greige), and Club Monaco turtlenecks (the black is already showing wear, sigh). All staple pieces I have come to depend upon. And that’s my other pro-tip: when you find something you truly love (and wear often), seize any chance to get a back-up at a good price.